Liquid nutritional supplements are very popular for those people who struggle with their appetite, difficulty in chewing, or who are recovering from surgery or an illness. The most common liquid supplements that are available in the market are shakes and drinks. These kinds of liquid supplements are not magic bullets for nutrition. It may add help to our body, but it won’t totally heal you. As Dr. Suzanne Salaman, an instructor at Harvard Medical School says, "The danger is that people see a lot of minerals and vitamins and think more is better. If you use the drinks as meal substitutes that might be okay. It's not okay to eat a full meal and then drink a supplement unless the goal is to gain weight or stop weight loss. It's too many calories." Too much liquid supplements are not advisable to be taken, always in moderation.
Nutrition Drinks
Shakes
There are several nutritions that liquid supplements provide such as a healthy balance of protein, carbohydrate, and fat. In these varieties there two general categories. First will be Shakes, such as Boost or Ensure. These are intended for oral consumption and can be found in a grocery store shelf.
Formulas
It is formulated to help your body meet general nutrition goals like protein and increased calories. There are some nutrition shakes designed for those who are diabetic. With this kind of condition, sugars should be lessened. Nutrition shakes are usually fortified with vitamins and blended with sugar to improve the taste.
Other formulas are designed for more specific diseases like cancer, later-stage kidney disease, and some chronic disease. These drinks can be consumed orally but are not designed to taste good. It is often used in feeding tubes with the supervision of doctors.
Helpful or Harmful?
Liquid supplements can be beneficial for those who are unable to meet their nutritional needs through food alone, especially those people who are suffering from a chronic disease or recovering from surgery/treatment. But if you think you are doing just fine with no medical conditions, you may put yourself at risk for malnutrition. If you consumed a lot of drinks or shakes can have harmful side effects in your body.
Conclusion.
You don’t need approval from your doctor to try nutrition shakes or drinks but if you want to improve your nutritional health it is much better to seek the advice of a registered dietitian who can give you a proper plan that suits your nutritional needs. You can also ask your doctor regarding the ingredients of it if it will interfere with your medications. It is always best to be sure, especially with your health.